North Texas RV camp tenants believe the mountain lion caught on video to be gone, still cautious
LAKE DALLAS – Charles and Ann Quinn came to Texas to visit their new granddaughter. The couple will be at the Lake Dallas RV Park until the end of the year, basking in joy.
"Oh yeah, very concerned, very concerned," Ann Quinn said.
On the other end of the emotional spectrum is fear because there's video evidence of a mountain lion roaming around the same park where they've parked for their stay.
"We're being very vigilant. And when we go out, especially at night, we watch what's going around," Charles Quinn said.
Tenants of the RV Park said the images show the animal showed up just before Halloween. The mountain lion's whereabouts are unknown.
"But I think it's been seen a couple times here, over a couple of different nights, and then across the lake at Frisco where there's been talk about that," Mr. Quinn said.
Proof of a big cat in the backyard of Frisco's Brent Blackwell came from the Texas Wildlife and Parks Department. Blackwell's backyard video was just as convincing. He lives on the other side of the lake from the RV Park. It's not sure it's the same animal.
"For everyone that you see, there's ten that you don't," Thomas Myers said. "So that's the scary thing about it."
Myers said he's an avid hunter and is thrilled the mountain lion is getting this kind of attention. The Lake Dallas man said he's using his animal knowledge to stay safe.
"You don't want to leave any food out or anything crazy for the animal to smell to come around your RV and be curious," he said. "You don't want your animals for sure to be out."
Myers believes the chances of running into the mountain lion are slim. Deer and other wildlife, he said, are more likely.
Most believe the big cat may have moved on, but until they know for sure, the Quinns are protecting their 14-year-old dog, Sport.
"We carry a flashlight and pepper spray now, because we're concerned that it could be anywhere around," Ann Quinn said. "We try to make noise when we're coming out, but not too much noise, because at four in the morning."
The couple is doing all they can to protect themselves and ensure more time with their new granddaughter.
"We've really studied up on it, you know, and you never turn your back on it," Charles Quinn said. "You slowly back away. You don't run. You try to make yourself as big as possible, and you can yell."